• Last match: Spain draws an incomprehensible match and ends up as a group leader

The objective of Spain in this European is already two victories. Win the European? Well, yes, of course, but no. The coach Jordi Ribera admits that the mind is somewhere else. "Our priority is to qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games yes or yes. Winning the European we will have direct ticket, so we are very focused on that," he acknowledges upon arriving in Stockholm, where his team will face Slovenia in Friday in the semifinals. Above all else, the Games are a mess for the players, an open wound, a pain that ensues at any time. Four years ago in the prodigious era, Spain stayed out of Rio 2016 - for the first time since Montreal 1976 - and there is no day that anyone remembers it. It was the disaster of this generation, the only one.

That is why more than raising a title that belongs to them for two years, since the success in the Zagreb European, the Olympic ticket is now ambitious and, hence, the illusion and, hence, fears.

Because Spain is only two steps away from securing the ticket for the Tokyo Games and at the same time it is two steps away from the appointment. If he wins the European, he will confirm his classification, but if Norway and Croatia win, the Pre-Olympic of the selection led by Ribera will be very difficult. The system, like almost everyone who leads to the Games, is complex.

Right now, for its seventh place in the World Cup, Spain is framed in a simple Pre-Olympic, with a fearsome rival, Norway, and two very affordable, Chile and South Korea. When qualifying two per group, the pass to the Games would depend solely on not failing in a priori simple games. But that privilege could disappear in this European.

If Norway takes the title it would have direct ticket for the Games and the positions of the Pre-Olympians would run. So Spain would suddenly be in a group with Germany as organizer of the tournament, Portugal and the second best team in Africa that is played these days, say Tunisia. The odds of failing would be much higher, something that would be exaggerated if Croatia were European champion. If Domagoj Duvnjak and company raise the title, Spain would meet Portugal, the second team of the African and France, the champion of everything, as organizer of the event.

In both cases, Ribera players would be much more required to go to the Tokyo Olympics, more taking into account the dates of the Pre-Olympic. Because of its veteranness, Spain suffers when its referents are tired and the decisive tournaments are framed at a delicate moment of the season. They will be played from April 17 to 19 just one week before teams such as Barcelona, ​​Pick Szeged, Veszprem or Kielce, the teams where internationals play, play the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

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